Udo Erasmus, pioneer of essential fatty acids, EFA's, omega-3, omega fats, Udo's Choice, Udo's Oil, cold-pressed flax-seed oil, trans-fats, Trans Fatty acids

 
TORONTO EXAMINER > Nov 25th, 1999

Good fat, bad fat
By Sheri Fiegehen

Toronto, ON
-- Fats don't make you fat, says a nutrition expert who will be speaking on the topic in the city on Monday.

In fact, the fad of low-fat and fat-free diets is detrimental to health, says Udo Erasmus, Vancouver resident and author of the book Fats That Heal Fats That Kill.

"People who are fat phobic have the wrong information. They try to avoid fat, but rather, they should optimize the fats that heal," he says. We need fats to stay alive, he says. Every cell has to have them, and because fats are not made internally, cells must get them from food, he explains.


"A no fat diet will eventually kill you. Your body eventually falls apart," he says.

Common symptoms of fat deficiency include dry skin and low energy. Eventually the immune system falters, arthritis-like symptoms develop, as do vision problems, weakness, clumsiness, water retention, higher blood pressure, abnormal heartbeat, loss of minerals, behavioral changes such as moodiness and depression, and increased susceptibility to serious diseases.



"There's also a correlation with suicide and violence," Erasmus adds.

Not all fats are good, however, says Erasmus. Some promote tumor growth, some lead to a predisposition for heart attack and stroke, some interfere with insulin production - but other fats do the exact opposite.

These health ailments account for about 68 per cent of deaths, and it's because people are consuming the wrong kinds of fats, he says. The right fats can help reverse these problems; for example, some fats actually lower triglycerides (high blood fats associated with cardiovascular problems) by up to 65 per cent, he adds.

Contrary to what people may think, good fats actually help people lose weight, says Erasmus. For example, they suppress appetite, increase energy levels, and increase calorie burning, he says.


Erasmus says there are three basic good fats: omega 3, omega 6, and "minor ingredients" - an amalgamation of, for example, vitamin E and keratin.

The richest source of omega 3, an essential fatty acid, is flax, says Erasmus. It's found in high-fat cold water fish such as salmon, white tuna, sardines, mackerel and rainbow trout, he says.

"There's also a bit in dark green vegetables, nut they're very low in fat. You'd have to eat about 50 pounds just to get a couple tablespoons-worth," he says.

Omega 6 is found in sunflower and sesame seeds, almonds, peanuts, soybeans, and a bit is olive oil, he says. Minor ingredients are very hard to get enough of, as they make up only 2 per cent of the total amount of oil in one seed, Erasmus says.

Extra-virgin olive oil is a good source of minor ingredients, but is a "terrible source" of the other good fats, he says, as it has no omega 3, and only 10 per cent of omega 6.

Part of the reason why it's hard to get a substantial intake of good fats is because food manufacturers have basically sucked them all out, says Erasmus. They are removed because they shorten the shelf-life, he explains.

"Manufacturers are more concerned with having a longer shelf-life than people's health," he says.

 

One of the most evil fats out there is hydrogenated oil, which comes in the form of margarine and shortening, says Erasmus. It doubles the risk of heart attack, changes immune system functions, interferes with the liver and insulin functions, and more, he says. It's also found in chips, croutons, granola bars, crackers and often bread.

"It shouldn't be a part of anyone's diet. I like to tell people, if you look on the label and see the 'h', get the 'h' out of there, he laughs.

If you consume fats wisely, you can also have some saturated fats and still be OK, Erasmus says.

"You can have that potato with sour cream - but in fact, it's better to skip the potato and just eat the sour cream. In fact, I eat a whole tub of it. I like to do that once in a while," he says. Believe it or not, he says, the sour cream has less of a fattening effect on the body than the potato. The potato has sugars and starchy carbohydrates that turn into fat, he explains.

 

When it comes to cooking, frying with oil is "no good", because the oil turns to smoke, which changes it's chemistry, says Erasmus. This increases its toxicity, which correlates with cancer and cardiovascular diseases, he says. Frying with butter is less damaging.

So how do you know you're eating enough foods with the right fats?

"Use the skin test. if your skin is dry, you need more. It's your skin that loses it first and gets it last; meanwhile you're being affected internally. When your skin becomes soft and velvety, then you're doing OK," he explains.

 

 
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